


Just one dance

by TheMusicalCC



Category: Ghostbusters (Comics), Ghostbusters (Movies 1984-1989)
Genre: F/M, Missing Scene, Mutual Pining, Slow Dancing, Yearning, is it still yearning if they're both right there they're just... not a thing? Whatevs
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-20
Updated: 2018-09-20
Packaged: 2019-07-14 22:04:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,839
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16049489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMusicalCC/pseuds/TheMusicalCC
Summary: Winston and Tiyah's wedding got interrupted by blood raining down on New York. Now what? Well, the party's not over until the last dance is finished.





	Just one dance

**Author's Note:**

> Set in the Mass Hysteria Arc of the IDW comics.

“Well, according to Kylie and the others, the bloody rains are all over New York” Ray’s tone was badly concealed excitement. Where some found the sight of bodily fluids that most certainly don't belong in the sky raining down on them unnerving at the very least, he had acted the way some might have if it had been a light snow on christmas night.

“Of course” Winston sighed. To her credit, Tiyah was very calm. Annoyed, yes, but calm, specially when you considered this was her wedding celebration that had gotten interrupted. They were sure other brides would have started shaking fists at the clouds in her place.

“Thank whichever God is responsible for valet parking, at least no one got any of it on their sunday clothes” Peter said, his mood considerably light for someone who’d gotten his plans for the night with one of the bride’s friends screwed over by the freakish weather -of course, that might have been just the fact that he was more than just a little tipsy. His potential catch had left a while ago, as had most of the guests, the catering services and the band (“ _Really, a little blood fell from the sky and they all fled like rats from a sinking ship! Some people have no sense of humor_ ” he’d told Egon at some point) leaving only the Ghostbusters and Janine with the newlyweds.

“But what’s causing it?” Winston seemed more tired than anything else, even alarmed “Is it pollution or- or a biblical thing again? Is something we should be worried about?”

“I’d have to run tests to know for sure” Egon said in a pensive mutter, watching the still fresh tracks of red on the window’s glass, rolling his sleeves up in anticipation for the collecting he was, no doubt, already planning to do, his jacket and waistcoat forgotten over a chair “But it certainly looks and smells like real blood”

“So that’s what it is”

“I just said-”

“Doesn’t matter” Janine cut in, her tone conciliatory “Because you two are going to the Waltz-Partington for the night an have a great time while these guys handle it”

“I couldn’t-” Winston started.

“Not asking”

“Yeah, Winston, this is your night” Ray half-shrugged “I mean, you guys already postponed the trip to Bermuda, at least grant yourselves this. There’s nothing that can be done right now, either way. Go enjoy it!”

“I really don’t think a rain of blood sets the mood” Tiyah scoffed.

“Then sleep” Peter said “Go crazy on room service. Watch _Saturday Night Live_ reruns until past midnight- I don’t know. Live a little, you two! You’re married! Hey-” he snapped his fingers, face aglow with an idea “I know, let’s get you another dance. One last dance before you leave. Hold up” he began to move away, holding his palms out to them as though to contain them, even though no one had moved “I bet I can find the sound equipment still plugged in- just wait!”

The five of them watched him go with equal parts concern and curiosity.

“I can’t wait to see that hangover” Ray said.

“He gets kinda sentimental when he’s drunk, huh?” Tiyah whispered once she was sure he was out of earshot.

“At least this time he isn’t singing along to Harry Nilsson and hugging a mop” Janine said with the expression of a woman reviving a perturbing scene.

“You’re joking”

“I wish”

“We got a dozen reports that a cat was dying in our premises” Egon said, so straight-faced that Tiyah couldn’t tell if it was a joke or not.

“I mean, he’s trying to be thoughtful” Ray defended “… in his way”

“But I don’t get it, what’s he gonna d-?” the lights dimmed and the sound system came to life with a rustle and a piano ballad, slow enough to dance to, spread through the room. The lights of the dance floor lit again with soft blues and purples. Tiyah’s jaw dropped “I’ll be damned, he actually went and did it”

“Well, I’m not about to decline one more dance with the most beautiful bride in the world” Winston said, offering her his arm. Finally coming to terms with the fact that yes, this was happening, Tiyah took his arm and let herself be led to the dance floor, a warm smile lighting her face. For the moment, the sky could be raining literal cats and dogs for all they cared.

“What d’you say, did he slip a fifty to the DJ or just went and _borrowed_ the equipment?” Janine asked Ray under her breath, smiling despite herself. He shrugged, eyes set on the couple as they swung to the beat, holding each other close.

At some distance behind them, turning from the windows were he’d been studying the stains again, Egon turned and his eyes fell on Janine, unnoticed. Had Peter been there, he would have accused her of having ‘Wedding eyes’ again, but Egon didn’t really have a meaning for that term- he just knew her expression was soft and full of wonder and yearning and he felt like he could stare at her all night.

‘ _Oh, but you’re lovely, with your smile so warm..._ ’ sang the voice in the speakers.

“Well, I’m gonna call a cab. Don’t wanna risk getting caught in the rain later” she moved away from the lights and towards the lobby, already reaching for her phone and phone book in her purse, when there was a soft _‘Ahem’_ behind her and she turned to see Egon standing with his back even more stiff than usual and his hands behind his back. Even with the dim light, she could see his mouth was pursed as though he were keeping himself from screaming. Janine tilted her head, urging him to speak up and he cleared his throat again, averting his eyes nervously and then setting them on her again.

“Perhaps...” he paused, as though looking for the next word, then tried something else “Um, since the music is already playing...” that was it. No more words conceded with leaving his lips, so he gulped, pursed his mouth and offered her a hand. It was almost gallant if one ignored the sheer _panic_ of his expression. Janine, however, took his hand after a beat, stepping closer to him. They didn’t bother with the dance floor.

“Well, this should set the mood” Peter said, patting Ray’s back, looking pleased with himself as he came to stand next to him, hands in his pockets.

“Yeah…” Ray smiled for a moment before reminding himself to move “Oh! Egon said he was gonna collect samples, I should probably go help-”

“He’s not collecting samples- at least none you’re gonna wanna look at” Peter said, holding him in place but jerking his head to the couple dancing away from the lights, their outlines drawn by the light outside.

“ _Oh_ ”

“Yup”

They looked at each couple alternatively, then each other… and Peter mock-bowed, offering Ray his hand. Ray sighed before taking it. They spent the song trying to out-lead the other in a slow-dance that was too quick to really be called that, laughing all the time.

Egon wasn’t much of a dancer, which wasn’t surprising what with the body nature had given him, but he had a more or less decent sense of rhythm, good enough at least that he could lead her to a series of slow circles were they stood, barely moving at all. Janine pressed closer to him so that her head could rest on his shoulder and he adjusted with a swiftness that contrasted his stiff movements. His fingers on her hand and her back felt warm and gentle.

“I don’t believe any of us took the time to say this but… you look very nice tonight” he muttered, his mouth near her hair. She pretended not to dwell on the implications.

“Peter said something along the lines of ‘ _Hubba-hubba_ ’ but I don’t think that counts” he hummed maybe in amusement, maybe not. She let the silence spread between them for a moment- yes, enjoyable as it was to have the heart leaping and the stomach fluttering and all those things that made one feel like a schoolkid with a crush all over again, she was rather enjoying this... this casual closeness. How comfortable it was. She had long since come to terms with the fact that Egon would probably always live in her heart, in corners she tried to avoid but kept coming back to without realizing; she had also come to terms with the fact that Roger Baugh was very dear to her too, and that he was the priority because he had made her his. 

' _What am I doing?_ ' she thought for an instant, before pushing the thought away. Just one dance. It didn't mean anything. It didn't mean anything that she didn't really want it to ever end, either.

“Thank you” she muttered after the pause.

“It’s true”

“It’s still nice of you to say it” she lifted her head from his shoulder for a moment to look at him straight in the eye for a moment, the hand she had over his chest moved for his shoulder hesitantly, as though she were deciding whether to hug him or not. In the fading light, sparkles clung to her eyes and hair like little stars. She really did look-

( _Lovely, never never change)_

He gulped again, unable to look away. No more words came to him and it seemed as though they weren’t needed either way. Without warning, she stood on the tips of her toes, halting the dance for a moment, and kissed his cheek softly before resting her head over his shoulder again -his mind traveled to a very different kiss, not long ago, in Times Square and with an adrenaline that wasn’t quite just the dimensional travel rushing through him... but he pushed the thought away, not knowing what to do with it. He had a feeling he was not supposed to think about that. She certainly didn’t seem to, and, dammit, she had a _boyfriend_ and-

Those thoughts were futile and at this point he knew better than to not enjoy what little time he had with her. He rested his cheek against the top of her head and danced.

"Was the music _really_ for us?" Tiyah asked in a murmur, watching Peter and Ray mock-tango and the other two shadows swinging with the music outside the lights. Her tone meant to be reproachful but she was smiling. Winston let out an ' _Ehhhh_ ' that meant he doubted it.

"Maybe not. I'm still gonna dance like it was, though"

"Good call" she hugged him closer.

‘ _Cause I love you_ ’ the piano was coming to a _rallentando_ that meant the end of the song was near, as the clouds threatening to drop yet another round of bloody rain over New York pulled back and let the moon's pale light appear from beneath them ‘ _Just the way you look tonight...’_

**Author's Note:**

> Last night I was listening to the 'Peter's friends' version of 'The way you look tonight' and was suddenly assaulted by the mental image of Janine and Egon slow-dancing just outside the lights of Winston's crashed wedding reception and then proceeded to stay up until nearly 4 AM writing it to life, like the moron I am. I brought myself both great pain and great joy with it. Then decided to share with all of you. Hope you enjoyed it!


End file.
